1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to a dispenser for small objects, such as candy, pills, tablets, and other objects of similar size. In particular, the present invention relates to a dispenser having a housing and a cover that can be opened to multiple different stable opened positions, including a stowed position in which the cover is substantially flush with the housing and does not extend substantially beyond the boundaries of the housing.
2. Related Background Art
Dispensers for small objects, such as candy, pills, tablets, and other objects of similar size are well known in the art. Such dispensers take a variety of forms. For example, they may be formed of a hollow body and a separately formed top portion, the top portion comprising a flat surface having an aperture and a closure element that allows access to objects within the hollow body of the dispenser through the aperture when open, while securing objects within the hollow body when closed. Such dispensers may require lifting or pressing the closure element in order to open the aperture. Examples of dispensers of these types can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,538,731, 5,636,732, 4,144,985, 5,273,177 and 4,095,712.
Other dispensers comprise box-like containers with lids that slide open, e.g., U.S. Design Pat. No. 407,972, lids that rotate open, e.g., U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,979,223, 5,709,305 and 5,718,347, or lids that slide and rotate open, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,430. Still other dispensers comprise box-like containers with drawers that slide out of the containers, e.g., U.S. Design Pat. No. 400,006 and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,833,143, 3,888,350, 4,113,098 and 4,126,224. A number of these dispensers include locking mechanisms to keep the dispenser securely closed, for example, to prevent young children from having access to pills stored in the dispenser.
One problem of conventional dispensers such as those mentioned above is that, while such dispensers are generally designed to be compact, they tend to lose their compact size when they are placed in a fully opened position in order to dispense the contents. Thus, for example, in dispensers having a drawer, the drawer may be virtually the same size as the container, so that opening the drawer causes the dispenser to increase in size to up to twice its closed size. In dispensers having a lid, when the lid is opened the lid generally protrudes to a great extent, since the lid is often as wide or as long as one of the dimensions of the container.
While U.S. Pat. No. 5,203,469 discloses a tool box having a lid that can be stored flat against the bottom of the box, in order to store the lid in this fashion the lid must be disengaged from the box, inverted, and then reattached to the box. This is a cumbersome and inconvenient way of storing the lid and retaining the compact size of the opened box.
Another problem occurring in conventional dispensers is the inability to be opened into a plurality of different stable opened states, which are stably open to different degrees so as to allow different rates of dispensing. Thus some dispensers have only a single opened state, e.g., a state designed for dispensing a small amount of the contents or a state designed for dispensing the entire contents, but do not have both of these states or additional states which would allow for multiple dispensing rates.
Another problem occurring in conventional dispensers is accidental spillage. For example, some dispensers permit being opened only to a wide open state, in which accidental spillage can easily occur. Relatedly, other dispensers allow for a plurality of opened states whereby the dispenser can be opened to different degrees, but do not permit an opened state designed for dispensing only a small amount of the contents. Again, in some dispensers that allow for such a plurality of opened states, these states are not stable. That is, the user may not be able to rely on the dispenser's remaining in a particular (partly) opened state. Rather, the dispenser may easily, and without the user so intending, open itself to a wider opened state, which may cause the contents to spill out against the user's wishes. In addition, some conventional dispensers, especially those with locking mechanisms, such as childproof dispensers, require a significant amount of force to open them. When using such a dispenser, the user can easily unintentionally cause the dispenser to suddenly open to a state that is opened to a greater extent than desired, which can easily cause accidental spillage of the contents.
Another problem with conventional dispensers is the presence of protrusions, rough edges, sharp points or the like, which can snag or tear a user's clothing or scratch a user's hand. Such hindrances tend to be present especially when the dispensers are placed in an opened state, because in this state the door, flap, closure element, or the like, which often has a surface that is rough or jagged, generally protrudes from the dispenser and hangs free.
The present invention provides a dispenser that solves the above problems, as explained below.